1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to jack modules for use in the telecommunications industry. More particularly, this invention pertains to a jack module for digital signal cross connect (DSX) applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Digital signal cross-connect modules (DSX) are well known in the telecommunications industry. An example of such may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,624 to Burroughs. et al. dated Jan. 7, 1992. FIG. 1 of that patent shows a module having a jack field located on the right hand side of the module and consisting of six columns of jack ports associated with individual Bantam jacks. The cross-connect field is located on a side of the module. FIGS. 4 and 5 show an alternative embodiment where the Bantam jacks are replaced with individual modules with jack assemblies such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,568. Each of the Bantam jacks or jack assemblies includes three ports--one of which is conventionally referred to as an IN port and the other is referred to as an OUT port. Further, the jack includes a monitor port for accessing a signal.
As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,624, density is an important design consideration in digital signal cross-connect modules. In the aforementioned '624 patent, the modules are arranged for the jacks to have a horizontal axis as opposed to the vertical axis of previous designs.
The '624 patent shows a module where a cabinet contains a plurality of circuit elements. DSX designs are also known where a cabinet contains a plurality of individual modules each containing a dedicated circuit. Examples of such are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,199,878 and 5,393,249.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,087 to Williams et al. dated Dec. 4, 1990 teaches a DSX module to enhance horizontal density of vertical-axis Bantam jacks within a cabinet. The '087 patent forms flattened areas on barrels of the Bantam jacks to permit closer spacing of Bantam jacks. Achieving enhanced horizontal density is desirable since circuits including DSX jacks will include multiples of such jacks and is desirable that all such multiples be contained within a common cabinet.